A group of demonstrators, enraged by the situation regarding access to food, attacked the office. During the protests, participants threw stones at the building, and furniture from the reception area was taken outside and burned in the street. In videos capturing the chaos, people can be seen breaking windows and shouting "Freedom!", emphasizing their determination.
The Cuban Ministry of the Interior reported the detention of five individuals who may be involved in the acts of vandalism.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, in his post on social media platform X, acknowledged that the protesters have legitimate reasons for their discontent but noted that the authorities will not tolerate violence and vandalism that threaten public order. He also pointed out that the energy crisis, which has caused the discontent, is a result of actions by the United States, which, according to him, have intensified the oil blockade in recent months, causing Cuba to go without fuel for three months.
Díaz-Canel had previously mentioned negotiations with the U.S. government aimed at resolving bilateral disagreements.
The Cuban leader also accused the U.S. of attempting to violently overthrow the government. He emphasized that American authorities constantly threaten Cuba and use economic difficulties as a pretext for aggression. "This fierce economic war is waged as collective punishment against our people," the president stated.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed reports of Washington's plans to overthrow the Cuban president, calling it fake news. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump expressed a desire to "take Cuba," hinting at the possibility of intervention.
“I mean, liberate or seize... I think I can do whatever I want with it. It would be an honor to take Cuba,” Trump said at a press conference at the White House.
